The Flower Within
by Hellias
Summary: Sakura receives guidance about upcoming events. Will she be able to change her story and avoid a tragedy? SasuSaku. AU with spoilers. Includes an OC
1. Meidoku

Author's notes:  
Well ok, this is my first attempt at writing…anything. I'm not that familiar with the way fanfiction works either so I hope you all can help me make this an interesting read by providing your constructive criticism. It would be much appreciated! Also, English isn't my first language so I apologize for any awkward use of words or minor grammar mistakes.  
P.S. This isn't a highschool Naruto AU or anything, so just bear with me a little.  
_

Chapter 1 : Meidoku

It was summer break at last…I never thought school was a pain but the last few weeks where hell for me. I had just broken up with my boyfriend and seeing him in class every day was pure torture. I just needed to get away from it all so I guess spending the summer in the mountains in seclusion wasn't such a bad idea as it first seemed. My grandpa's brother was a monk living alone in a small temple and invited me to stay with him for a while and help him out with the temple's maintenance as his old age was finally wearing down on him and slowly made his usual duties harder every year. The first day we met after not seeing each other for almost 12 years I asked him:

"Great uncle, why don't you leave the temple and live with us? Doing everything alone at your age can't be easy"

"Ahh, Hana-chan life isn't always about convenience. This is a spiritual place where the barrier between our world and the other is very thin. I wish to preserve this place and protect it from corruption for the rest of my life. I don't know if there'll be someone to take my place once I'm gone but I intend to guard the passage between realms even as a spirit. This is where I'm meant to be."  
"But why? No one will even know of your sacrifice or thank you for it, no one even comes here!"  
He smiled softly at me then: "I am simply doing what I can for this world. Perhaps one day you'll understand"  
I doubt that. People are selfish, if you only live for the sake of others you're the one losing out. I learned that the hard way. To him, though, I said: "So, what can I help you with anyway?"

Great uncle gave me a long stare but decided not to pursue our discussion any further

"Please assist me with cleaning the floors in the temple. I'm afraid my back isn't as flexible as it used to be…"

***

"I sense a great burden in your heart"

The polished floor was shining, slightly illuminated by the sunset creating a beautiful contrast of light and shadow. I stopped washing the cleaning cloth and looked up at the old man.  
"Is it that obvious?"  
"Your spirit is weakened, you have isolated yourself from your surroundings and are dwelling on negative thoughts. It is unhealthy, my child"  
"I think I just need some time to sort things out in my head" -After all, I refuse to be fazed forever by that bastard who dumped me.  
"Hmm, perhaps I can help you with that. But for now, get some rest, we will need to do a lot of walking tomorrow."  
Looking mildly interested, I answered: "Thank you, great uncle"  
"Please, you need not be so formal with me, child. Do you not remember how you used to call me Chi-Chi?"

Great. Now I'm stuck with thoughts about break up _and_ embarrassing memories from childhood. Oh happy day.

"In my defense, I was six. How about grandpa Chie then?"  
The old man smiled a sad smile and then said: "I always wondered what it would be like being a grandfather. Now, off to bed Hana, we both need a good night's rest."

***

Grandpa Chie woke me up at dawn the next morning and we started toward a winded path higher into the mountain. The quiet forest around us was a good contrast to the bustling city scenery I have grown so accustomed to. As we walked further up the path I realized I was slightly envious of the monk who got to enjoy this peaceful life surrounded by nature. But I was aspiring to become a medic and knew that a strong university was a must-sadly, the best universities are usually found in big cities so country life was out of the question for a while. But maybe some day…

"May I ask where we're heading?"  
"The place I want to show you is called Meidoku. It is a place where the border between worlds is especially thin and it has been used by generations of monks for meditation purposes to achieve enlightenment. Select people are able to communicate with spirits or even visit distant realms there. For everyone else Meidoku is a place to connect with your inner self to purge your soul from all negative energy and bad vibes. You have always been good with meditation Hana, that is why I believe you are up to the task. But make no mistake: meditation within Meidoku can be dangerous if you decide to concentrate on the wrong thoughts. Whether to try this or walk away is completely up to you."  
"Well, it sounds like the fastest way out of my depression so it's worth a try. I can always stop if doesn't go the way I want it."  
"I'll keep an eye on you just in case but I doubt you'll have any problems, you are my grandniece after a-oh, it seems we have arrived."

Meidoku turned out to be a cave, the entrance to which was veiled by a waterfall. The stream from the waterfall also formed a small lake near the cave. Everything else was just rock and trees. I admit I was awestruck by the simple beauty of this secluded haven- it almost felt magical. Meditation or no- who cares, I'm staying!

"Well, I'll get going then"-I said as I headed towards the waterfall. The water felt icy cold to the touch and refreshing compared to the summer heat that was already starting to kick in, despite the early hours of the morning. "Good thing it's not winter or I'd freeze!"  
"The cold is supposed to help you concentrate on your inner self but please stop as soon as you feel too chilled. Your father will never forgive me if I purposely let you fall ill"  
"Don't worry, I _have_ been practicing on meditation in cold showers for a few years now. It helps me keep my head clear after all the studying." I sat down on the wet stone under the waterfall and closed my eyes.  
"Call me if you need me" the monk said but his voice was barely discernible through the sound of falling water and I already began my internal dialogue with myself to actually understand what he said.

Now…concentrate. Clear your mind of other thoughts…what is troubling you? Of course, it's _him_. 5 years together and he hasn't warmed up to me one bit. I thought we could gradually become closer once we started dating but that introverted prick never once let me peek into his own world… [If you can't keep out of my business I can't see us being together]… The coldness in his voice shattered my heart into pieces. Who would even want to be with that emotionless bastard anyway?! He kind of reminds me of Sasuke. How did Sakura put up with the selfish, revenge-crazed idiot for so long and even managed to end up with him in the end? I know it's just a piece of fiction but even fairy tales have some kind of life basis in them…Oh, not good, I'm becoming distracted…concentrate, concentrate….

Clearly, meditation this time around wasn't going as well for me as it always used to. Then again I'm also usually more composed than I've been these last few weeks. I no longer felt the water falling on my head and shoulders, instead it seemed I was enveloped in a comforting coolness , completely surrounded by darkness. Even the bright sunshine outside no longer penetrated my closed eyelids. Maybe my meditating efforts weren't a complete failure in the end. Only my thoughts remained a complete mess…

…I wonder if Sakura ever had moments when she just wanted to give up on Sasuke? And if so, what kept her going? Loving a missing-nin, who, at one point, wanted to destroy her home village can't be easy. If things where a bit different could she possibly bring him back with her own strength or was it destined that only Naruto had the power to do so? Even if they end up marrying each other I still wish I could see her having a bigger influence on Sasuke. He never really opened up to her either. Really, Sakura amounted to being a pile of wasted potential in the original story. If I was there I would definitely try to make her see that. Maybe she could even beat some sense into Sasuke too, instead of wasting her tears and words. Ah, I really wish I could change their story…

"…have to tell Konohamaru about my legendary feats!"

Konohamaru..?

"Then I will…Sasuke, how about a date when we get back?"

Sa…?! I opened my eyes. I was walking on a bridge with Naruto and Sasuke walking on either side from me.

"No thanks"  
"B-but…" I caught a glimpse of a red Chinese-style dress around my legs. Sakura's dress…

 **Ok, what the fuck?!**

"What was that?" I-err, Sakura said with a confused voice and look around. Her teammates also stopped to look at her.

Did I just say that out loud? And she _heard_ me?! I'm in Sakura's HEAD?!

"Sakura-chan, is everything ok?"- Naruto asked, slightly concerned.  
"No I…I guess I was just hearing things. Come on, I really want to get back home already."  
"Hmmm…" he shrugged "so anyway, how about a date with me?"  
"Hell no!" Sakura scowled at Naruto but as everyone continued walking she looked a bit puzzled. I could see her from the side now and also noticed Kakashi, who walked slightly behind his team. Ok, so I can view the world either through Sakura's eyes or beside her. I can't move away from her, though, and I also can't see my own body. Am I a spirit? Or just dreaming? Yeah, probably dreaming. So I guess meditation didn't work and I fell asleep. Oh well, grandpa Chie will wake me up sooner or later but I don't want to do it on my own~ this dream seems like fun! Naruto's world sounds pretty interesting, I want to see Konoha too… Oh, this bridge looks familiar! I think they just completed their mission with Zabusa. That means the chuunin exams aren't that far off either. I'd love to see it but I doubt I'll get to sleep that long.

As team 7 made their way back to their village I took in the unfamiliar scenery and listened to their conversations while deciding what to do from now. Apparently, Sakura could hear me in this dream so I knew what I would do for entertainment. But I'd rather wait until she was alone.

***  
It was completely dark by the time they arrived into the village. Sakura waved everyone goodbye and hurried back home. As soon as she was in the comfort of her own room Sakura plunged onto her bed with a deep sigh.

"What a tiring mission."  
 **And we're alone at last**

The young ninja sat up immediately.  
"Who's there? Have you been following me?"  
 **Not quite. Or rather - not that I had a choice  
** "You…I hear you in my head, is this a genjutsu?!"  
 **Well no, I don't think so. Also, you don't need to talk aloud, I can hear your thoughts just fine  
** "Get out of my head this instant, whoever you are! Shannaro!" As she said that she got up in a flash, ran to the wall and banged her head on it as hard as she could.  
 **Owww, not a smart move, girl…** Wait, that hurt?! As the kunoichi toppled to the floor clutching her head in pain I tried to quickly rearrange my thoughts. If I can feel pain this is probably not a dream. As if to check that I tried to wake up. Nothing happened.

Ok, calm down! Maybe my mind fell into some kind of trance. Regardless, Chie will wake me up sooner or later, so for now I should just go along with what's happening…Even if it is bizarre as hell.  
 **Sakura, please calm down, I'm not here to hurt you. I actually don't even know how I ended up here  
** There came a knock on the door and a concerned woman's voice said "Sakura, are you alright, dear?"  
"Yeah, mom, everything's fine, I'm going to bed now!"  
"Ok then but call me if something's bothering you, honey"  
"No, really, everything's all right, I was just practicing a new technique I learned" Uhuh, it's called Schizophrenia no jutsu.  
"Well good night then, I'm sure you're tired from your mission"  
"Thanks, good night, mom" .. _Now YOU! Who exactly are you and what do you want from me?  
_ **Good to know you're not yelling at me anymore. My name is Hana, I'm an 18-year old senior high school student from Japan. And as I've said before, I haven't the slightest clue how I got inside your head - or your** ** _world_** **for that matter  
** _My world? I've never heard of a village or country named Japan..and high school? Is that like an academy for older ninjas?  
_ **Um no, we don't have ninjas in my world. We did at some point in history but not any more. A high school is basically where teenagers gain knowledge to be able to pursue different carriers later in life. Kind of like your academy but without all the ninja stuff and it also lasts longer. I always wondered what kind of screwed up morals your villages must have to throw prepubescent kids into potential life-threatening situations like it was nothing.**  
 _And you expect me to believe you just like that? If you're from some other world as you claim then how can you know so much about my world?_ Apparently, Sakura decided to ignore the morals talk for now.

 **If you think that what I've told you so far is weird wait till you hear this: there exists a story about your place – or, to be more specific, a story about Uzumaki Naruto and his adventures**

 _Naruto? Seriously?! Your tale gets less believable by the minute.._

 **Well, you know what they say: sometimes the truth can be crazier than your wildest imagination**

"Sigh. I don't think I can deal with all this right now." _And I have to wake up early too. I'm just going to try and sleep. Hopefully, when I wake up it will all turn out to be a bad dream._ Without another word she quickly took a shower, changed into pajamas and slid into her bed. Yeah, I guess the rest of our conversation could wait.

Sakura awoke the next morning with a slight headache. She looked around her room as if expecting to see someone there but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. It was eerily quiet too.

"Hey, are you there..?"

 _Phew, maybe I was just tired yesterday and imagined things.._

 **Why, good morning, sunshine!**

Sakura jumped, fumbling in her blanket and fell out of bed.  
_

Meiso-meditation  
Dōkutsu- cave  
Meiso no Dokutsu= cave for meditationà Meidoku  
Doku also means poison, hinting that the place can turn nasty if going unprepaired  
Hana-flower  
Chie literally means wisdom  
Yeah, I'm so creative with names, I know -_-


	2. Useless

Author's notes:  
Kishimoto once said in an interview that he originally wanted the story to progress through Naruto's various encounters on missions and that it was cut short with the editorial department's wish for a great tournament that would bring together interesting characters- hence the chunin exam. I find the missions an interesting plot to explore, so I'll stick with them for a bit.

P.S. Happy Birthday,Sakura! 28.03.16

Chapter 2: Useless

Sakura was in a bad mood. She got up and paced the perimeter of her room, thinking furiously:  
 _I wish you would just go away already and stop reading my thoughts! You're invading my privacy!_  
 **Believe me I'm not doing it on purpose. The last thing I need right now is to know the thoughts of a girl obsessed with a broody porcupine**  
 _Don't you dare talk about Sasuke-kun like that!_  
 **I never said it was Sasuke**  
 _!  
_ **Okay, look, I'm sorry. Neither of us was willing for this to happen but until I figure out a way to return to my own world we could at least try to get along. You have that Inner Sakura speaking sometimes, right? Just think of me as your Inner. I promise I'll go away sooner or later.**  
Sakura heaved a deep sigh and spoke: "Not like I could drive you out anyway. My head still hurts from my last attempt"  
 **Yeah, let's agree you won't try to give yourself a concussion again. I don't think I feel your pain on the same level as you do but that was still unpleasant. By the way, aren't you supposed to meet your teammates soon?**  
 _Oh no, I'll be late!_  
 **Knowing Kakashi, you won't be**  
 _Maybe, but I don't want to keep Sasuke-kun waiting  
_ **And there goes the power of love.** But Sakura ignored me this time and rushed into the bathroom to prepare.

***

The previous day I was preoccupied with my own thoughts and it was dark when the team entered Konoha but now I got a good look of the hidden village. It really did look exactly like in the story-a weird mix of technology and country life. I also took some time to examine Sakura's teammates. Naruto was a cute energetic boy you'd just love to huggle. Seriously, how could the whole village avoid and ignore such an adorable kid?!I really do think ninjas here have screwed up morals. Kakashi was being late as usual so I turned my attention to Sasuke. Why was Sakura so infatuated with him anyway? Sure, he was handsome, even as a 12-year old. Or was that because I was looking at him through Sakura's perspective? No, I have to admit that he's very good looking…regardless of his downright awful personality. But even if it was just a childhood crush I doubt it could of lasted this long if the girl only liked his appearance. Maybe I could just ask her about it..

 **Hey Sakura, why do you like Sasuke?**  
 _H-huh? I…_ She looked down as a slight blush appeared on her cheeks  
 **Oh come on, you could share that much with me. We're stuck together for a while and it's not like I could tell anyone even if I wanted to. Who knows, maybe I could give you some advice.  
** _W..well, he's so cool and mysterious, smart and strong, he's the best ninja in our year! And he rescued me a few times too! And…  
_ **And?**  
 _And I know he's a lot stronger than me but I get this feeling that I really want to protect him. Of course I want to protect Naruto too, if I can, but with Sasuke-kun it's different. You know, Sasuke-kun doesn't talk much so I can't be sure but sometimes his back looks lonely, even when he's with us…I'm sure if he could just notice my feelings and date me he would be a lot happier._ Sakura was blushing quite distinctly now.

 **I see.**  
Well, it's probably still just a crush but I sense she has deeper feelings for him as well. Considering she's a sheltered little girl from a loving family that's not bad at all. I guess her feelings grew into a full-fledged once-in-a-lifetime love as she matured. This girl is kindhearted, and I really do think I want to help her. She doesn't deserve the torture she went through even if it made her stronger. The same goes for Sasuke. I know Naruto is strong enough to cope with his best friend's betrayal and even bring him back in the end but I'd prefer it if I could avoid the whole drama altogether. God knows they've got too much to deal with as it is…

After quite a bit of waiting the trio's leader finally decided to show up:  
"Well, I see you've gathered already"  
Naruto pointed an accusing finger at his teacher "That's because we were supposed to meet two hours ago, Kakashi-sensei! You're late again! "  
"For once it was because I got held up by the Hokage. This will cheer you up: I know it's a bit early after the last one but we've been assigned a new mission"  
"Oh wow!" – Naruto cried, everything else forgotten "Who are we protecting this time? Some big-shot? A princess? Or is it a super dangerous undercover mission?"  
"Uh, no, you'll be supervising construction works in a nearby civilian village"- Kakashi said, already anticipating Naruto's reaction  
"Aww, come on! We were so cool last time! " Yeah, so cool you nearly got yourselves killed "Don't we deserve a better mission than that?"  
"If it makes you feel any better we're supposed to be on the lookout for bandits in the area. This is a C-rank mission"  
Naruto made a pouty face "Meh, I guess it'll have to do"  
Sasuke looked like he wanted to comment on Naruto's behavior but refrained from doing so. The two boys seemed to act pretty awkward with each other ever since their last mission. I was yet to hear a single insult from the Uchiha…which was so strange it felt unnatural.  
"Naruto, stop complaining! If you want better missions you should become a better ninja first"- Hmm, she has a point there.  
"Talk while you run, we were supposed to arrive there by now" Kakashi turned around and started off towards the village exit  
"Who's fault do you think that is, sensei?!" Well, it was good to see that at least Sakura was acting her usual (slightly annoying) self. She brandished a fist at Kakashi's back but quickly followed suit.

***

Either trouble really liked Team 7 or it was part of their job description. They barely spent half an hour on the construction site when the local gang decided to show up, threatening the villagers to pay up a "protection against disasters" fee.

"What, you hired some kiddies to play with us?" –The middle aged gang leader said with a smirk as he noticed Kakashi's students  
 _Come at us! We'll show you what we're capable of!_ – Sakura thought as she slipped into a fighting stance.

It was a 10 man group but it soon became evident that only the leader had received any kind of ninja training, if I had to guess, I'd say he was probably a genin dropout. The others were just local thugs. Buffed up men, mind you, but still.

"Ha! Why don't you play with this first! There's enough of us for everyone!"- Naruto created 4 Kage Bunshins and charged. Sasuke was already twisting someone's arm by then. Kakashi simply stood on the side, deciding to let his team handle it and to observe their abilities while they were at it.  
Not wanting to be left behind Sakura took out a kunai and placed it in front of her. One of the thugs was heading straight for her so she quickly devised a plan of action  
 _Once he gets close enough I'll fling the kunai into his face and aim a kick at his feet to throw him off balance…  
_ But even as she was thinking this Sasuke appeared between them and punched her opponent in the gut. The poor guy flew a few meters before landing on the ground with a loud thud and lay motionless thereafter.

I don't know whether Sasuke's being protective of his teammate, an arrogant ass or just considers Sakura incapable of defending herself…A little bit of everything, probably.

I felt a ping of disappointment run through Sakura but her face never gave it away. Instead she smiled and cheered her teammate on: "Wow, that was so cool, Sasuke-kun!"

He returned her smile with a scowl as he launched a senbon past the Kunoichi at the man who somehow managed to creep up behind her. "Stop daydreaming, Sakura" he said and with that he was already off to help Naruto with the gang leader.

A few minutes later only 3 thugs were left standing. Seeing how easily their leader was defeated they turned and ran. Exasperated by her previous blunder Sakura flung a kunai at one of them while Kakashi effortlessly tackled the other two. "Good job, everyone! I think we can finish early today"  
Indeed, the villagers were now free from any disruptions and allowed the team to conclude their mission. Everything was resolved within half a day.

 **That was pretty anticlimactic  
** _Oh shut up! I know, I'm the one who does the least on the team, even Naruto has improved a lot lately. But I…_  
 **Can get better if you try  
** _I don't think it's that simple…_

The trip home was filled with Naruto boasting about his fight and his annoyance at Sasuke for disrupting his one-on-one with the gang leader. Finally, the Uchiha became irritated enough to say "Then don't get so beat up next time, dobe" and they were back at each other's throats as usual. Sakura was only half-listening, too preoccupied with her own thoughts to care.  
 _When we had to face that S-class missing-nin Zabuza and his partner I thought it was normal that we couldn't do much against them. They were way out of our league and we weren't even supposed to be fighting people like that in the first place. I mean, we've just graduated from the academy! ...But Sasuke-kun and Naruto put their lives on the line to protect everyone while I just stood there, terrified._  
 **You know, life's not always just going to present you with enemies you can easily beat**  
 _I know. I tried not to dwell on it too much after that mission but I know. I'm week .Today's events proved it. Even when facing opponents that were supposed to be a good match for my powers I still ended up being protected.  
Sasuke-kun and even Naruto are so amazing…I'm not sure I'll ever be able to catch up to them no matter how hard I train…_

You know what, Sakura? I don't think you have a choice. Blame fate for putting you in the same team with a vessel for a tailed beast and an emotionally unstable guy with a crazy bloodline. Even if you don't reach their level you'll still have to become stronger, if only to survive the upcoming battles.  
 **Naruto isn't that strong either** -Not yet at least- **but he fights with everything he has because of his determination. Listen, when we return to Konoha I really want to show you something. Do you remember where the place you used for "survival training" is located?  
** _..What? Of course, but why would you want to go there?  
_ **Just trust me.**

***  
The sun was slowly setting by the time we finally arrived at the deserted training grounds.  
 _What exactly are we doing here?_  
 **You'll see. But first, I must ask you something: Sakura, do you want to save Sasuke?**  
The young girl definitely wasn't expecting a question like that. She stood wide-eyed for a second before answering with a frightened voice: "Save Sasuke-kun?! From what? Is he in trouble? Tell me!" _  
_Oh, boy. I'm not very good with delicate topics but it's not like there's someone to do the explaining for me. I need to try and prevent her from doing anything rash but not to discourage her too much either…  
 **I don't know how much you're aware of Sasuke's family situation but I'm sure you remember what he said about his goals in life. Especially the killing part.  
** ["..I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and…to kill a certain man"]  
 _I only know that he lives alone.._ – she concentrated, trying to piece together all the details. _Family…resurrection..kill…_ And then, as if a piece from a puzzle finally fell in place she cried: "Wait, he…wants to kill someone to avenge his family?!" _  
_Very perceptive. **To be precise, he wants to kill his older brother, Itachi Uchiha.**  
"Sasuke-kun…wants to kill his own brother..?"  
 **Doesn't sound so cool any more, does it?  
** _I…can't believe I haven't realized sooner that he wants to do something so…horrible_ **  
You couldn't have known. It's surprising you deduced this much just from my small hint. Sasuke and Itachi are presumed to be the only surviving members of their clan. As the last Uchiha in Konoha, Sasuke thinks it's his responsibility to become strong and punish the person he considers responsible for the death of his family. Of course, he's naturally talented but it's his determination for revenge that made him such an exceptional fighter.  
** Sakura was trembling slightly. She looked on the verge of crying "Oh my God…What have I done?" _I told him that Naruto was lucky to have no parents..No wonder he found me annoying!  
_ **I didn't tell you this so that you can indulge in your self-pity. I told you this because you need to understand: Sasuke will stop at nothing to gain power for his revenge. If the situation calls for it, he will give up anything to attain strength… even friendship and love.**

["There's a man that only I can kill…I'm an avenger. I have to become stronger than him. So I can't just stay here and do nothing"]  
 **  
** _Are you saying he's going to leave us? Sasuke-kun…is going to leave me and Naruto behind…?  
_ **Not if we can help it. In the story I read about your world he did indeed leave. You couldn't stop him and it took everything out of Naruto to bring him back. And do you want to know the best part? His revenge was ultimately aimed at the wrong person.  
** Thin streams of tears ran down Sakura's cheeks. "This time I'll stop him" She turned to leave "I'll warn Sasuke-kun right now and-"  
 **NO! Listen to me first! What will you tell him if you go now? "Sasuke** ** _-kun_** **, I'll be against it if you're potentially thinking of leaving me behind. Oh, and a voice inside my head also told me that your brother isn't actually a bloodthirsty murderer that slaughtered his own clan just for kicks"?! Come on girl, you're not dumb! But for some reason every time Sasuke is involved your cognitive functions just freeze. You can't help anyone like that, let alone yourself!**

Sakura was now trembling violently. She wanted to scream at me, she wanted to punch something, she wanted to cry her eyes out…And deep down she knew I had the right of it but all the new information was overwhelming her.  
I'm sorry, but I need to give you one more push…

 **This brings us to why we're here.  
** It took her a few moments but Sakura managed to compose herself and asked: _what did you want to show me?_

 **There's a memorial stone ahead. I'm sure you remember it  
** It was completely dark now. Sakura could barely see the outline of the stone. She walked up to it and touched it. _Yeah…Kakashi-sensei's friend's name is engraved here.  
_ **Do you know which one it is?  
** _No, he never told us…I don't like where this conversation is going.  
_ **No wonder. This friend was also his team member… Uchiha Obito**  
Uchiha…  
 **He and a girl named Rin were part of the same team when they were younger. During one mission Rin was captured and held hostage. Even though Kakashi wanted to focus on the mission, Obito convinced him to go save their teammate first. They did manage to free her but the Uchiha boy got trapped under falling rocks and presumably died after giving Kakashi one of his sharingan eyes.  
** _That's so sad…So this is why sensei has a sharingan! ...And what you're saying is…that Obito wouldn't have died if that Rin girl didn't need saving?  
_ **Exactly.  
** _What happened to her?_  
 **Kakashi…couldn't protect her in the end** _._ I don't think it's the best time to tell her the details. **Every day he comes to this stone and thinks about his teammates, what he could have done to save them. But their deaths will always haunt him. I think that's the reason he's always late.  
** _I'll never scold him for tardiness again…_  
 **Rin was very much like you, while Obito was the noisy mischievous type who wanted to become Hokage…And if you can imagine it, Kakashi was even more serious and humorless than Sasuke.** _  
_Sakura's face was covered in tears again. She sniffed and whimpered. Then she let out an anguished scream and crumpled to the ground beside the memorial stone. The pain she felt was so strong it was almost _physical_.  
"S-so you're saying they were just like us! I d-don't want this…I don't want to be like Rin! I don't want my teammates t-to die for me! " She looked up at the stone in front of her and cried: "I'll become stronger! No matter what I'll become stronger and protect them, even if it kills me! I never want to be rescued again!"  
 **I can't guarantee you won't be, though. From now on you will be facing deadly opponents that even Kakashi can't stand up against. But together with your friends you have a fighting chance of success.  
I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you cry but you needed to hear this. We can't let your team fall apart like Kakashi's, Sakura. We're simply not allowed to.  
**The young Kunoichi nodded and wiped her tears away. As she stood up I could see a look of determination on her face.

"Tell me everything you know."

This time things will turn out very differently, I can feel it.  
 _  
_  
_

Dobe is Sasuke's slang for "idiot", "looser" or "dead last", in case someone was wondering…


	3. Books, Kicks and Hot Springs

Hana is in no way a self-insert or the main focus if this fic, even if most of the story will be told from her perspective. She's a bit of a cynical ass who knows what's to come and is older than Sakura so she will inevitably do a lot of instructing. But I also don't want her to just take over Sakura's body and do whatever she feels like doing (maybe occasionally?). Instead I want Hana to help Sakura mature a bit and build on her self-confidence, which she clearly lacks, especially in her genin days. Seriously, Sakura may act tough but she's only second to Hinata in the low self-esteem department.  
P.S. talking, talking, too much talking! :c

Chapter 3: Books, Kicks and Hot Springs

Sakura came back very late that day. Her worried parents tried to find out what had happened but she waved them off with some half-assed excuse. She lay in her bed as the hours crawled by but found it difficult to sleep. Finally, as the clock hour handle approached 5 a.m. she gave up and got up.  
The streets of the hidden village were almost completely deserted as she made her way to the nearest training grounds. Once she was there she proceeded to practice her taijutsu until she was completely exhausted 2 hours later.  
"I can't believe I ever thought my training was adequate for a ninja! What was I even doing all these years?!" -I truly didn't know what to answer to that so I kept quiet.  
"The Konoha library should be open by now, you wanted to find something there, right?"  
 **Yeah, we'll need to do a bit of research before we can devise any plans. Let's go**

The library was empty, save for the staff when we entered half an hour later. There were shelves upon shelves stacked with scrolls and books waiting to be explored. This could take a while…  
 **Let's start with finding everything we can on the Konoha Sannin. They're the key figures in all this mess.  
** We searched all morning but didn't find as much as I had hoped. There was a record of their team members and mission statistics (so _that's_ where Kabuto got his info! And here I thought he was some kind of super spy when all he did was bother to read a few official documents!), some scrolls from Tsunade's medical research, a book detailing how the three ninja earned their title, a few technique descriptions mentioning their names and even a porn novel from Jiraiya. And that was it. The least information we could gather was on Orochimaru but that was to be expected, what with him being a top-class traitor and all. We suspected that more important information was kept within the Hokage's building but that place was obviously off-limits. Probably the only person able to pull off a break in there without significant punishment was Naruto.  
Next we tried to find information on the council members but with little luck. I filled Sakura in on the circumstances of the Uchiha massacre, omitting as much gruesome detail as possible but she was still fazed beyond words. She also didn't agree with Itachi's idea of what acting in Sasuke's best interest was like and, honestly, neither do I. Changing the past was impossible though, so we focused our efforts on future events. The library only provided us with the council members' names and an old document stating that Danzo was once on the same team as the Second and future Third Hokages. I also had to tell Sakura of Sarutobi's connection to Danzo to explain the more than lenient punishment he received for wiping out a whole clan: apart from being stripped of his second-in-command status and "officially" disbanding his ANBU branch he came out of the mess pretty clean. Even Itachi did more by threatening to expose Konoha's secrets to other hidden villages if Danzo ever touched Sasuke!  
The conversation then turned to Root and how it still functioned despite the Third's direct order. I truly haven't a clue what to do with Root but I hope we can still meet and recruit Sai one day, somehow.  
Meeting a dead end with info on Danzo we returned to the more pressing matter of the Sannin.  
"Sooo, in a nutshell, Jiraiya-san was Minato-san's mentor and will train Naruto in the future while Tsunade-sama will become my boss and teach me medical jutsu. And then there's Orochimaru, who, due to a childhood trauma went crazy over the idea of immortality and learning every single technique in existence, apparently became a pedophile who recruits little kids for his experiments "by the truckload" and, unless we somehow stop him, plants a hickey on Sasuke-kun's neck and convinces him to abandon his village and friends in favor of revenge and living with a middle-aged supposed homosexual. " Sakura sounded as revolted as I felt.  
 **He's also a former Akatsuki member who tried to kill Itachi for his, eh, beautiful eyes…  
** _Akatsuki?_  
 **Um, let's leave them out for now, chances are your head will burst if I tell you** _ **everything**_ **that's brewing up in this world all at once. Not to mention it would probably take me more than a full day of non-stop talking.  
** _I have the distinct feeling that you're underestimating me right now._  
 **No, it's actually** _ **you**_ **who's underestimating just how fucked up things can get when you're friends with Naruto and a teammate of any Uchiha.** _ **Especially**_ **the Uchiha. "Fucked up" is like their clan motto.**

Sakura looked like she was about to counter my last statement but I didn't let her

 **And speaking of Naruto, I have some fun facts about him too, but I suggest you take a seat first.  
** The young Kunoichi definitely wanted to discuss the Uchiha matter further but curiosity got the better of her.  
 **Ok, so I already told you that Minato is Naruto's father-**  
 _Yeah, I still can't believe it.._  
 **Wait, it gets better. About twelve years ago Konoha was attacked by a nine-tailed beast and the village suffered many losses from his rampage. The fox demon was eventually stopped at the price of the Fourth Hokage's life, you know this. What you don't know is that the beast wasn't just defeated: Minato and his wife Kushina, the demon's previous human container, sealed him within their own son**

"They WHAT?!" Sakura stood so abruptly the chair fell over. Totally saw that coming, uhuhu…  
The very few library visitors looked at her in surprise. She blushed, apologized and picked up her chair.

 **What a dramatic reaction. I knew you had it in you!**  
 _You know, sometimes I feel like I really hate you..._  
 **Only sometimes? I need to work har-**  
 _So, Naruto_ -Sakura cut me off _..Is that why our parents told us not to go near him? I had always assumed he must have done something terrible to earn such a reputation. I thought they just didn't want us to hang out with a prankster and troublemaker…_  
 **Shunning a kid for pranks? Sounds pretty extreme. Then again, these people think that letting young orphans live by themselves is normal.  
** Child protection organizations would have a field day here.  
 _If Naruto ever becomes Hokage I'll make sure he never lets a single kid in our village suffer like that again._

Tears were forming in Sakura's eyes once more but I've already reached my quota of crying girls for a while.  
 **Oh come on, this is turning into a sob fest! With all he had to deal with Naruto still grew up to be kind-hearted and cheerful. If you really feel sorry for him and want to help then you can start by acting a bit nicer to him**  
 _I_ _ **am**_ _nice to him! I only punch him when he does something stupid... It's not my fault he does it on a daily basis!_  
 **Uhuh. Are you also going to deny your blatant favoritism towards Sasuke?**  
 _I…really do feel sorry for Naruto, he never knew what family felt like. And you're right, I should be nicer. I can't bring back his parents but I hope I can become like a sister to him. He definitely fits the role of an annoying little brother perfectly! … But if you want to talk about favoritism I think Sasuke-kun is so much worse-off: after all, he knows_ _ **exactly**_ _what he's lost. That's why I fear he'll never accept us as his family…and it only makes me want to try even harder.  
_ **I don't know. Sasuke may never openly admit it but he definitely considers Naruto his friend, probably due to their similar circumstances. You, on the other hand-**  
 _I understand. I'm not someone he can relate to. I can't even begin to imagine how much suffering they've both gone through._  
 **They're not the only ones. Ninja history is filled with losses and sacrifices. A lot of your future enemies will have a dark and bloody past, including Orochimaru. His motives are actually kinda understandable… Though I personally still consider him the definition of "Insane"** …Before Sasuke set a new level for the word after learning the truth about Itachi. I mean, have you _seen_ his face?

 _I don't think I can forgive that Snake, regardless of his hardships._  
 **You and me both, but I'm not sure we're in a position to judge him.  
** _So you're saying we should just leave him be?!_  
 **For now let's focus on protecting Sasuke and disrupting Orochimaru's assassination attempt on the Hokage. If we're lucky, he'll be caught and dealt with by people more suited for the job than us.  
** *Sigh* _Alright, I can't argue with your reasoning. Come on, we've wasted too much time here, let's head back to training._ Sakura scooped up some scrolls and books to take home with her and proceeded to the exit  
 **Planning some bedtime reading?**  
 _Well, yes. Or do you honestly expect me to wait for Tsunade-sama to teach me any decent ninjustsu?  
_ **Medical books? I'm in! I actually want to become a doctor too so it'll be interesting to learn medicine from this world's perspective. We could compare our knowledge.  
** _Really? What a coincidence. I guess it's fortunate we ended up together. Now if only you wouldn't talk so much…_  
 **Hmph!** I think I'm being a bad influence on her  
 _You're also sarcastic and irritating._  
Okay, too much. **Remind me again who called you annoying the very first day you were assigned to your team?  
** _Oh, shut up!_

***

Sakura sat on the ground and tried to catch her breath. She spent all her time until evening practicing throwing kunai and shurikens. From what I've seen so far she was nowhere near, say, Sasuke's level, but she wasn't bad either.  
"This isn't going to work."  
I didn't understand what she meant **. Why? You're pretty good at this.  
** _How am I supposed to stop Orochimaru with a kunai?_  
 **Good question. Well, if we're lucky you might not need to fight him at all but I'm not getting my hopes up. There's not enough time to learn anything too complex either**  
 _What if I don't participate in the Chunin exam? Sasuke-kun and Naruto will have no choice but to sit it out too since only a team of 3 can participate._  
 **Sasuke will never forgive you if you delay his quest for power. Besides, who's to say Orochimaru won't attack him within Konoha? He'll actually have fewer witnesses to worry about. And if the Snake isn't seen before the final round of the exam how are we supposed to warn others of his plan without making you sound like a paranoid psycho? We're not telling Saske about Itachi yet for the same reasons  
** _That much I understand. I'll need to show him some solid proof if I want him to believe me_.  
 **In Orochimaru's case even your word will do but only if someone else at least sees him first  
** _Nothing is ever going to be easy in my life, is it?_  
 **Easy is never on the menu with you ninja.  
** _So what's our plan with Orochimaru?_  
 **I'm working on it. If you end up fighting him your only chance is the element of surprise in combination with a jutsu you're good at. What are your key strengths? I know you're smart..**  
 _I'm good with chakra control._  
 **The combination of the two should mean you're good with genjutsu but I've never really seen you use it. You've dispelled other people's genjutsu a number of times in the story though.  
** _I was actually praised for my skill with illusions back in the academy but I don't like using it  
_ **You prefer not using something that could give you an advantage? How so?  
** _Genjutsu isn't very popular amongst ninja due to it's complexity and lack of actual physical damage. It also requires good chakra control, knowledge of your environment and concentration. I am capable of performing a convincing genjutsu on the enemy but I need too much time to cast it. The one time I tried doing it during an actual practice fight I nearly had my arm broken. In a real fight I would have been long dead.  
_ **Well this sucks. Then again, practice fights were probably one-on-one, right? But now you're part of a team. I'm sure Naruto and Sasuke can keep the enemy off you long enough to make this work.  
** _Won't that just mean that they're protecting me again?  
_ **Not if your jutsu ends up saving all your asses. Then it would be called effective use of teamwork. Surely it's worth a try?  
** _I'll brush up on my genjutsu knowledge by tomorrow. I wonder if there's anything relatively simple that I can do with my good chakra control to at least relieve my teammates from the burden of constantly defending me. I want some offensive skills besides my projectiles but ninjutsu takes too long to master.  
_ Oh, oooh, Idea Cake!  
 **Beat em up!**  
"Excuse me?"  
 **Legs are the hardest place to accumulate chakra, right? Then what about the hands? If you could gather your chakra around your fists you should be able to pack quite a punch. Last time after Tsunade's training you could easily put holes in rocks. I'm pretty sure you were using some kind of earth technique with it but the general idea should be the same.  
** _It's not as easy as you may think. Walking on trees requires a constant small precise amount of chakra. If I did the same with my fists the punch wouldn't be that powerful. I'll need to boost my chakra level in my hand to a maximum right before the hit and then quickly retract it or else I risk wasting all my reserves in one go. And concentrating too much energy in one spot is pretty dangerous to the body.  
_ **Oh come on, you're an expert in chakra control, how hard can it be?**  
Sakura sent some energy into her right arm and tried a mild punch on the wooden pole only to jump back with a yelp. Severe pain shot up her arm to the shoulder.  
 **…ok, I guess it is pretty hard.  
** Sakura spent the rest of the day hitting practice poles. In just a few hours she managed to find the perfect balance in chakra levels before and after the hit but beating up hard surfaces still hurt a lot.  
 **Hey, maybe this technique was a bit early after all? You're going to injure yourself at this rate  
** _Did you think I'd be afraid of a little training when my teammate's safety depends on it?!Who do you take me for!  
_ Sakura punched the wooden pole angrily and wailed in pain. She was already making progress- her punch left quite a big dent in the wood.  
 **Sakura-chan, you're pretty cool!  
** The girl blushed slightly but hid it hurriedly and said: "Thanks. Now let me concentrate"

***

It was already way past midnight when the Kunoichi finally came back home. She warned her parents this time so they were already sound asleep when she returned. Grabbing some leftovers from dinner she dragged her feet to her room, feeling as if her every muscle was burning from overuse. **  
I suggest you do some meditation to relieve the stress on your body before going to sleep. Otherwise I'm not sure you'll even be able to move tomorrow.  
** Sakura agreed and sat on the floor cross-legged, closing her eyes. I tried giving her some pointers but she was doing fairly well even without my help. She cleared her head of any thoughts, steadied her chakra flow and relaxed. I guess they studied meditation in the academy? Even so, it was amazing how all the disturbing things she had recently learned didn't hinder her concentration…like it did for a certain someone I know, heh.  
Sadly, when she was done and crawled into bed, even with all her exhaustion weighing over her she still had trouble falling asleep. Once again I felt guilty for ruining her peaceful days but stopped myself before I could make another apology. It was better she learn the truth now and prepare for the worst instead of being helpless to change anything later.

The next day she woke up at dawn to do some running before meeting up with her team. They weren't assigned any missions today so they practiced together instead. Sakura surprised her teammates when she asked if she could try her genjutsu on them but they agreed to help. Sasuke took no time in breaking the jutsu by activating his sharingan while Naruto didn't even notice when the technique took effect. Sakura had to release him from it later. Kakashi took the opportunity to explain more about genjutsu and ways of breaking it and afterwards expressed delight at Sakura's sudden progress.  
The girl rushed away for solo training the moment they were dismissed and felt slightly proud of herself as she left bigger dents in the wood with every passing hour. Finally, her hands where aching so much she decided to switch to kicks instead. Focusing chakra in the legs was harder but more rewarding as she could place more powerful hits. One of her kicks finally shattered the top of a wooden pole but the edge of her dress got caught in a splinter and ripped. Now she had another matter to take care of: her wardrobe. Dresses were fashionable and made her look more feminine but Sakura understood it would probably be impractical to continue wearing one. Before setting out the next morning she rummaged her dresser for any suitable attire.  
She took out an old long red shirt and fastened a wide brown belt around it, securing a pouch at the back. Then she found her black shorts that were slightly longer than the ones she used with her dress and decided to wear them. Sakura's knuckles were bruised from all the hitting so she wrapped bandages around her wrists and fingers to conceal them - she wasn't sure she wanted her teammates to find out what she was up to just yet. The girl finished her new look by tying her long hair into a loose ponytail.  
"Great, now I almost look like a boy"  
 **Don't worry too much. You won't be a flat chest forever**  
Sakura went pink and issued some empty threats in return.

The next few days were spent in a relatively similar manner: Sakura woke up early, went running, then met up with Team 7 for practice, trained by herself afterwards, read books before meditating and going to bed. We also had a few uneventful visits to the library where we further discussed the ninja world and our future plans topped with a near-futile search for information on the Jinchuriki, amongst other things.  
The Kuniochi also met Rock Lee on one of her running exercises: he was sprinting in the opposite direction when he caught sight of Sakura and crashed spectacularly into a nearby wall the next moment.  
 _Urgh, what's wrong with Fuzzy Brows other there?_  
 **Hey, don't be like that! I think he just fell for you.** Literally. **Plus, he saved your life in the Chunin exams last time.**  
Sakura frowned deeply "I just keep getting saved, don't I?"- With a huff she increased her running pace.

On the fourth day Sakura's team was finally given a new mission. They were to deliver a package to a family from a village on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water. Before setting out Kakashi issued a warning to his genin teammates:  
"This mission is supposed to be a peaceful one but we will come within close proximity of another country. I hope you have enough sense to refrain from causing unnecessary trouble. The last thing we need right now is an international incident"  
The three young ninja nodded in understanding and set out. The assignment included quite a bit of walking and Kakashi was soon bored enough to take out and read his favorite book. Naruto walked ahead of the group, constantly urging the others to hurry up. Sakura slowed her pace slightly to match up to Sasuke's, who was walking behind everyone else. The boy looked dissatisfied with something, probably because the mission wasn't supposed to involve any fighting, which, in his perspective, made it a waste of time. He glanced at the girl beside him as they walked and the slight crease between his brows deepened. Sakura couldn't bare his gaze and averted her eyes. The feeling of uneasiness enveloped her as they continued to walk in silence.  
The trouble started back when she came to practice in her new attire. Naruto actually confused her for a boy and she punched him but then he noticed her bandages.  
"Sakura-chan, what happened?"  
"Hm? Oh, this? I was careless and burned my hands while baking the other night. It should heal in no time" She cringed internally for making such a lame excuse but faked a broad smile and Naruto didn't pursue the issue further. The others definitely didn't look convinced, though, and ever since that day Sasuke seemed to act even more distant in her presence than usual.

Sakura was getting more and more conscious of the awkward silence between them and, unable to bear it any longer, desperately tried to start a conversation with her gloomy teammate.  
"Um, Sasuke-kun.. Th-the weather seems nice today, doesn't it?" _stupid, stupid, stupiiiid!_  
 **The weather? Seriously?  
** Sasuke pretty much expressed what I just said but with looks alone  
Sakura thought frantically of something to say:  
"W-what I mean is, we're heading towards the the Land of Hot Water, right? There are a lot of hot springs there. With such great weather it would be a waste if we don't even visit one.."  
The boy turned away from her. "Focus on the mission, Sakura."  
"Yeah, I guess you're right, sorry." _Great._  
Now the atmosphere between them seemed even worse.  
Kakashi heard their conversation and added his own 2 cents: "Not a bad idea, Sakura-chan. We will be spending the night somewhere before turning back anyway. We might as well enjoy ourselves."- Nice one, Kakashi!  
"Kakashi-sensei, you're the best!"- the girl exclaimed with delight  
"I'm not paying for you guys though"  
"Cheapskate!"-Sakura said behind the jonin's back, her vein bulging.

The package delivery assighnment went without a hitch and Team 7 was free to return back to Konoha. The only "enemy" they had to face in the whole mission was a drunken shinobi who accidentally bumped into Sakura. He scolded her for being a little girl who can't see where she's going and Naruto was on him in seconds, demanding an apology to her. The ninja punched Naruto hard in the face but Sasuke was already behind the man and with a well-placed hit to the back of his neck the man was knocked out cold.  
"Trash"- Sasuke said as he looked down on the unconscious shinobi and continued walking.  
"Geez, Naruto, didn't Kakashi-sensei say not to cause trouble?"  
"But, but Sakura-chan, it was his fault!"  
Sakura sighed and grabbed Naruto's arm "come on, we better get out of here before we cause another scene"  
Naruto blushed as he followed her: "Sakura-chan, you're being so forward today!"  
"What did you say?!" The girl turned and punched him with irritation "Hmpf!" -She stormed off, leaving the boy behind.  
Kakashi looked at his students in amusement and said under his breath: "Is this what they call though love?"

***

The day was soon to turn into evening and the jonin allowed them all to stay in a nearby ryokan till morning. Sakura was actually against the idea- she didn't want to spend the money she was saving up for new equipment and only mentioned hot springs before to keep the conversation going. It was too late to refuse though, so she gave into the temptation of a relaxing bath after a long day's walk. She parted with the boys and entered the women's section of the baths.  
The male part of the team entered their respective bath section and started undressing. Sasuke meticulously folded his clothes, Naruto threw everything into one big heap and Kakashi replaced his mask with a towel wrapped around his face. The fox boy suddenly had an idea and grinned broadly: "Hey, Sasuke"-he said quietly "what if we transform in to girls and sneak insid-"  
Sasuke glared at his friend "No! Only a looser like you would think of something so stupid."  
"Teme, what did you say?!"  
They were about to enter the bath when they heard a girl scream  
"Isn't that..Sakura? Wait, Naruto!" –The Jinjuriki ran out into the corridor before Sasuke could stop him.

Sakura was undressing when something caught her attention. She looked at her panties and saw a small blood stain.  
"KYAAAAA!" _What is this?! Internal bleeding from down there? Was I hit and didn't notice?!  
_ **Pfft. It's called a period, honey. Didn't they warn you in the academy or something?  
** Before she could evaluate my words the door burst open, revealing Naruto and Sasuke in nothing but towels, covering their lower parts. Naruto looked flustered and worried:  
"What happened, Sakura-chan? Was there a pervert?" …And then his face went beetroot red while Sasuke hurriedly closed his eyes and turned away.  
Sakura managed to cover herself with a towel just in time but it still exposed a part of her naked thigh while the cloth she pressed against her body traced her small but very present breasts.  
Burning with embarrassment and anger the Kunoichi screamed again and flung every solid thing she could get her hands on at the two boys. Then she raced to the door and slammed it shut, crying: "You're the pervert, you idiot!"  
By the time Kakashi casually walked into the corridor he saw baskets, bottles and a scrubbing brush scattered everywhere. Naruto was wiping blood away from his bruised nose while Sasuke sat on the floor with a look of deep irritation. Even he somehow managed to get himself hit on the forehead with a shampoo bottle.  
Kakashi fought hard not to burst out laughing. Naruto was one thing but Sasuke would never live it down if he did. 

Sakura looked like she wanted to drown herself in the hot spring. She performed a jutsu that young girls were taught back in the academy to stop the bleeding and fired insult after insult as her head filled with my giggling. Teasing her is almost too easy.  
 _I panicked, okay?  
_ **I know and it was epic! You guys are so fun to watch  
** _If only you knew how much I hate you right now_  
 **I think I have a general idea…**

***

Sakura ignored me and avoided her team for the rest of the day, refusing as much as eating with them and even moved her futon to the farthest corner from the sliding door, even though she was given a separate room.  
 **Oh come off it already! Accidents happen**  
The girl pulled her blanket over her head.  
 _Sasuke-kun saw me naked. How am I supposed to look at him now? -_ Her inner voice sounded miserable.  
 **I'd be more worried about Naruto, if I were you. Duck Ass at least has the tact never to mention what happened  
** Sakura flared up instantly: _Insult him again, I dare you!  
_ **Hmm, tempting.  
** _Why are you so harsh on him, anyway? You've never even talked to each other._  
 **Let's just say he reminds me of a certain person I know. I hate bastards like him!** You dated one, smarty pants…  
 _Oh,_ _ **very**_ _mature of you, vending out your frustration on my innocent teammate!  
_ Ok, I know she's right but I'm _never_ admitting it!  
 **You think your Sasuke-kun is an angel or something? FYI, the guy tried to kill you!  
** Sakura fell silent. She looked at the door separating her from the boys' room and whispered: "That will never happen"  
 **And what, pray tell, makes you so sure?**  
 _Because I won't allow it. Whatever was written in that story I will never let happen again._  
 **Even the part when you marry sir porcupine?** This is bad, I'm already running out of insults for him…  
"You never told me I was married to Sasuke-kun!"  
 **Surprise. Also, you should repeat that louder, I don't think he heard you yet**  
 _God, you're sour!_  
 **I do my best**

Afterwards Sakura spent half the night pestering me for details. By 3 a.m. she finally gave in to exhaustion and I watched over her as she lay wrapped around in her blanket like a cocoon. She was crying in her sleep…

_

Ryokan= traditional Japanese inn with and onsen (hot springs)  
Teme= a rude way of addressing someone (very informal). It can be seen as an equivalent to the word "bastard" 


End file.
